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The Chip Board Archive 23

Was there gambling at 21 West Elizabeth, Detroit?

Was there gambling at 21 West Elizabeth St, Detroit, Michigan? It is listed as a gambling establishment in many lists and books. But I only know of the strange crest and seal chips (shown below), and some people say it had no gambling, that it was just a barber shop or depot for those assembling to get free transportation to the gambling Chesterfield Club just outside of Detroit.
In another thread near this one, I discuss the 21 West Elizabeth chips.

Here is some information below. I don't blame anyone for listing "21 West Elizabeth" as any other gambling place.

At http://forums.homepokertourney.com/index.php/topic,3194.0.html some people posted about 21 West Eliz: "I recall reading something about that too... But the "bus stop" was a Barbershop. From there, the gamblers were driven to different clubs. ... One of the cooler things that I stumbled on today talked about the "club" at 21 West Elizabeth. Apparently there wasn't really any gambling going on there... that was just the secret "bus stop" where people who were looking to gamble would gather. From there they'd get picked up by cars that would drive them out into the country to the clubs themselves..."

Some links, but no mention of 21 West Elizabeth:
http://www.waterwinterwonderland.com/roadhouse.aspx
http://nevadaclubinreno.blogspot.com/2009/06/more-history.html
https://sites.google.com/a/wedgerock.com/wedgerock-s-casino-chip-collection/Home/Casino-Histories/Purple-Gang-Casinos

Some other things of interest:

(my chips)

(reverse side; hardly typical gambling/roulette chips? Not typical junket or transportation tokens?)

(Fitzgerald ran both the Chesterfield and 21 W Eliz.)

(location of 21 W Eliz)


Robert

Messages In This Thread

Was there gambling at 21 West Elizabeth, Detroit?
Re: Was there gambling at 21 West Elizabeth, Detro
Lincoln Fitzgerald - barber
YES, PROOF that gambling was there!

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